Valve.



PATENTED MAY 8, 1906.

A. BU ERKLE' VALVE. APPLICATION FILED NOV.5, 1904.

' normally closed main valve.

for the inlet-pipe.

AUGUST BUERKLE, OF ALLEGHENY, PENNSYLVANIA.

VALVE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 8, 1906.

WWW med November 5,1904. Serial No. 231,530.

To all whom it may concern..-

Be it known that 1, AUGUST BUERKLE, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Allegheny, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Valves, of .which the following is a s ecification, reference being had therein to t e accom anying drawings.

T 's invention relates to a valve mechanism designed pziirazily for controlling the supply of water to buildings and for draining the .disttibuting-pipes when the supply is, shut off. With the pipes drained the danger of freezing is avoided, and, furthermore, in case of a broken or burst pipe or connection at any point in the house the pipes are drained rapidly as soon as the water is tuined off, thereby materially lessening the Waste discharge that .would otherwise occur at the break.

The object of the invention, generally stated, is to simplify, improve, and render more efficient this type of valve apparatus. A particular object is to so construct the same that the parts thereof may be conveniently assembled and disconnected, so that the valve may be readily and conveniently mounted wherever required with the internal parts accessible without disturbing the;

In the accompanying d; awings, Figure 1 is; a side elevation of the valve apparatus- Flgj 2 IS a vertlcal sectional v1ew of the same, show-3 ing the position of the parts with the waterjl' shut off and the drain connection 0 en; and Fig. 3 is a similar view showing t e main valve open and the drain connection closed. Referring to the drawings, 2 designates a chambered inlet-fitting having connection 2 The upper open end of fitting 2 is threaded to receive the lower open branch 3 of the service-fitting 4, the latter being here shown of T form with its upper branch 5 alining with lower branch 3 and open and threaded to receive the threaded lower end of the chambered drain-fitting 6, the latter having discharge connection 6.

Within the chamber of fitting 2 is stud 7, and insertible through the upper end of the fitting is valve 8, which is apertured centrally and also provided with the recessed upward projection 9 whereby the valve is adapted to move vertically on the stud. Projection 9 also provides means for detachably connectnormal y, raised against the extremity of lower branch 3, the latter forming the valveseat. With the valve thus normally raised communication between the inlet and service fittings is closed. Y

The bottom or floor 5 of upper branch 5 is apertuled to form a passage-way for cylindrical stem 11, which extends f; om servicefitting 4 upward through drain-fitting 6, and with the packing 12 interposed between the lower extremity of the waste-fitting and floor 5 passage of water from one fitting to the other around stem 1 1 is prevented. Stem-11 is recessed upwardly f; om its lower end/as indicated at 13, the lower portion-of this recess being enlar ed and forming a socket which loosely embraces valve projection 9. The upper por tion of recess 13 forms an elongated port having lateral outlet 14 at its lower end which registers with service-fitting 4 and a similar outlet 14 at its up er end which normally registers with draihtting 6, being held in this position by the normally raised and closed valve. With valve projection 9 embraced by the socket-forming recess in the lower end'of stem 11 a swivel-like connection is provided which affords sufficient play to permit the valve to firmly close against the valve-seat at all points and at the same time permits of the valve being turned and valve to wear unevenly may be counter-- acted by turning the valve fr om time to time. Furthermore, with the stem recessed from its lower end, as described, the upper or port portion 13 thereof may be readily formed. A lever 15 is fulci umed between its ends to standard 16, rising fr om the servicefitting with one end pivotallyconnected to stem 11, while a line 17 extends from its opposite end to any convenient point.

When the valve apparatus is used for controlling the water-supply of a building, it is usually located in the basement or at some other point where it is not subjected to freezing. As the device is made up of several parts or fittings, it may be readily mounted without disturbing or replacing the main inlet-pipe.

In assembling the parts stem 11 is inserted in service-fitting 4, and then, with valve 8 in position within the inlet-fitting, the latter must be disconnected.

and the service-fitting are connected. Pack-' ing 12 may then be inserted and finally drainfitting 6 applied. The parts being thus connected, it will be understood that with line 17 released the valve mechanism will assume the normal position, (indicated in Fig. 2,) with valve 8 closed, and the supply and drain fittings in communication through the ported stem, when all water in the pipes connected to service-fitting 4 will drain through fitting 6. With line 17 raised stem 11 and the valve are depressed, opening the latter for the passage of water from the inlet to the service-fitting and at the same time depressing portoutlet 14 beneath and out of register with the cavity of drain-fitting 6, so that no water can pass to the drain-outlet.

In addition to the advantages in installing the apparatus arising from having the same in readily-attachable parts or sections such construction affords a further and very material advantage When for anyreason the arts With the valve 0 osed drain-fitting 6 may be removed for repairs or for repacking stem 11 without disturbing the other parts. I i

I claim 1. The combination of an inlet-fitting open at its upper end, a service-fitting open at its lower end and at said end uniting with the open upper end of the inlet-fitting, a drainfitting uniting with the service-fitting, a downwardly-opening spring-held valve in the inlet-fitting and adapted normally toclose the lower end of the service-fitting, a stem extending through the service and drain fittings and at its lower end connected to the valve, a passage at the juncture of the service and drain fittings which the stem closely fits, the stem being formed with an elongated port having its lower end in communication with the service-fitting and its upper end normally in register with the drain-fitting, and means for depressing the stem for the purpose of opening the valve and simultaneous y placing the upper end of the stem-port out of register with the drainfitting.

2. The combination of an inlet-fitting open at its up er end, a service-fitting open at its lower end with said end uniting with the open end of the inlet-fitting, a downwardly-opening spring-held valve within the inlet-fitting and normally closing communication between the inlet and service fittings, an upward projection on the valve extending into the service-fitting, a drain-outlet for the service fitting, a stem extending vertically through the service-fitting and drain-outlet and at its lower end formed with a socket which loosely embraces said valve projection, the stem being formed with an elongated port having its lower end in register with the drain-fitting, a passage connecting the service-fitting and drain-outlet which said stem closely fits, and means for depressing the stem and thereby opening said valve and moving the upper end of the stem-port out of register with t e drain-outlet.

3. The combination of an inlet-fitting, a downwardly-op ening spring-held valve therein, the valve having an upward projection, a service-fitting unitinglwith the inlet-fitting, a drain connection aving a passage-way communicating with the service-fitting, a

stem extending through the servicefitting and drain connection and closely fitting said connecting passage, the stem being recessed upwardly from its lower end to embrace said valve projection, the upper portion of said re cess forming an elongated port having lateral outlets, the lower of which registers with the service-fitting and the upper outlet normally with the drain connection, and means for depressing the stem.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

AUGUST BUERKLE. Witnesses E. E. POTTER, K. H. BUTLER. 

